An Act reforming the MBTA Communities Act
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2/12/2026 | House | Accompanied a study order, see H5065↗ |
| 7/29/2025 | Joint | Hearing rescheduled to 07/29/2025 from 01:00 PM-06:05 PM in Gardner Auditorium and Virtual — Hearing updated to New End Time |
| 7/29/2025 | Joint | |
| 7/29/2025 | Joint | |
| 7/17/2025 | Joint | |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | House | Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J10 | Accompanied | — |
Subsection (b) of section 3A of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as most recently amended by section 9 of chapter 150 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentence:- Provided, however, that an MBTA community shall continue to be eligible for all funding sources enumerated in this subsection if it: (1) adopted a zoning ordinance or bylaw that allows for the creation of multifamily housing units equal to at least 10 per cent more than the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census; (2) produced housing units equal to at least 5 per cent of the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census; or (3) created housing pursuant to a housing production plan approved by the executive office of housing and livable communities. For the purposes of clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection, for the first 4 years after the issuance of the latest available United States Census, the preceding census shall be used.
Subsection (c) of said section 3A of said chapter 40A, as amended by section 153 of chapter 7 of the acts of 2023, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “guidelines” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- regulations.
Said subsection (c) of said section 3A of said chapter 40A, as so amended, is hereby further amended by adding the following 2 sentences: The regulations shall not impose any additional obligations or restrict any funding sources not set forth in subsection (b). An MBTA community shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section if multi-family housing units within the community comprise at least 25 per cent of the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census.
SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 3A of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as most recently amended by section 9 of chapter 150 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentence:- Provided, however, that an MBTA community shall continue to be eligible for all funding sources enumerated in this subsection if it: (1) adopted a zoning ordinance or bylaw that allows for the creation of multifamily housing units equal to at least 10 per cent more than the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census; (2) produced housing units equal to at least 5 per cent of the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census; or (3) created housing pursuant to a housing production plan approved by the executive office of housing and livable communities. For the purposes of clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection, for the first 4 years after the issuance of the latest available United States Census, the preceding census shall be used. SECTION 2. Subsection (c) of said section 3A of said chapter 40A, as amended by section 153 of chapter 7 of the acts of 2023, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “guidelines” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- regulations. SECTION 3. Said subsection (c) of said section 3A of said chapter 40A, as so amended, is hereby further amended by adding the following 2 sentences: The regulations shall not impose any additional obligations or restrict any funding sources not set forth in subsection (b). An MBTA community shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section if multi-family housing units within the community comprise at least 25 per cent of the total number of year-round units enumerated for the city or town in the latest available United States Census.